The New and The Old | Social / R |

[Deleted]

What a slow and quiet day. Luke found himself lounging in his office chair, covering his mouth as he let out a bear sized yawn. God I'm bored.. Luke groaned mentally, staring up at the tiled ceiling as he pondered over whether or not he should count all the little black dots. "Let's look at porn then." Oh goodie. Jäger was awake. Luke thought that, just maybe, today of all days he wouldn't be hearing that entities voice in his head since he'd been...oddly quiet today. "Oh goodie you're still here. Here I was thinking I'd have a fuckin' break from you today. And no, not doing that." Luke responded back, frowning as he began to scratch the side of his head. "Oh yeah my bad buddy. I've been busy installing a skeeball machine in here. It can just get so boring at times." Luke snapped straight up. What do you mean a sk---I almost fell for that.. And as if on cue Luke could have heard the sound of a ball rolling and bouncing around. "Almost fell for what?" Luke groaned.

"But for real. Throw something raunchy and rowdy up on that screen. My votes for interracial farting!" Jäger chuckled, being as crass as he usually was. Luke just groaned, rubbing his eyes as he shook his head. No you stupid fuck. I'll get fired for just...NO! Fucking hell I don't even think I can look at p-- Luke froze as a realization came to his head which was then drowned out by the tsunami of laughter coming from Jäger. "That's right! I'm going to be in your head all the time! AAHAHAHAHAAAGH!" Luke just groaned louder as he leaned forward on his hands. "Luke." "God I fucking hate you.." "What did you say?"

Luke suddenly sat his head up to find that his office door had been opened, and staring right at his assistant manager (the guy right above him) staring at him with a shocked look on his face. "oooooooooooh you're in trooooouble~" "Sorry, I didn't mean you. I meant the paperwork...just thinking out loud again." Luke explained with a embarrassed smile painted on his features. His manager looked like he didn't believe Luke, but just shrugged. "Yeah the paperwork can be shit sometimes bud. Just try to keep the language under control, okay?" He said with a wink, making Luke shake his head and smirk. "So....do you feel like doing something different?" Luke raised his head and raised an eyebrow. "Hell yeah what do you need?"

They found themselves out in the back of the store, walking alongside a truck. "So, I'm certain you were paying attention during the manager mission but today's the day we're helping out with Karakura Academy." Luke blinked. "...why?" "Think of it as a food drive. We deliver some fresh produce, meats, milk to help the school out ." His manager explained. Luke shrugged, not seeing any problem with it. "And that includes me how?" Luke asked, turning his gaze to the employees loading up the truck with some tomatoes. "Why don't you go and help out? Get you out of the office for a bit, must be stuffy in there. Plus you'll get blood clots if you sit all the time." Luke frowned. He was going to go to a high school and help deliver food? "...eh fuck it, sure."

Holy shit when was the last time Luke was at a high school? Why where there so many students? The truck had to wait like six freaking hours (five minutes) to get through the traffic delivering children. The drive over wasn't really eventful. He made small talk with the driver, since it was someone he used to work with back when he worked in stocking. He made sure to watch his language, and Jäger continued to make stupid jokes while...apparently...somehow...playing skee ball in his fucking head. The job was, really, easy enough. Just drive up, drop off boxed, unload them into the kitchen and...well that was it. Luke was beyond strong and fit enough to handle it, and was even impressing some of his peers with how many boxes he was lifting without issue. Someone even asked if he'd been working out lately. Again...a really easy side task that maybe took an hour and a half to get done.

As he worked Luke's sixth sense kept picking something up. It was never really one thing, but it was always multiple signals that seemed to be the strongest when classes ended and the halls were flooded with teenagers. While Luke never saw any students while he worked he could certainly hear them going through the halls. What he picked up were small blips of energy, sort of like fireflies in a storm of gnats. Nothing ever really impressive or worrisome. Luke knew that living in Karakura must have produced some oddball youngsters. It was happening to him every now and again wasn't it? But there was...something...he kept picking up when the halls were full. He could never zone in on it for long enough as he worked. One second it was there then the next it wasn't. It felt different than the other signals he felt. Like a opossum in a group of raccoons sort of different. He wondered a few times what it was. It certainly wasn't a Hollow. It just...felt strange. But Luke didn't worry.

"Alright, all done. Thanks for your help guys, how's about I cook you up something for your trouble? It's almost lunch time after all!" the school chef laughed. The grocery store workers, all being hungry, loved the idea of free lunch even if it was highschool cafeteria cooking. For all they knew it could be good. Luke agreed to the idea, but needed to do something before he ate. "Be right back guys. I gotta piss something fierce." He explained as he excused himself, getting some playful teasing from his coworkers. Wasn't hard finding a bathroom in empty highschool halls. Walking along the lockers and doors brought back some memories of his days in highschool back in the states. He fucking hated it. All the fights he got in, all the detentions. He really came off as a delinquent despite having decent grades. It's a shame he never went to college. Might have found a better job than the one he had.

Washing his hands once done with his business, Luke let out a sigh as he stretched a sourness out of his shoulder. "What's the age of consent in Japan again?" Nope. Not responding to that one. "Luke I'm sure if you just tried you could get yourself a hot asian girlfriend...much younger than you! You like them young don't you?" Have I told you I hate you? "I look at it more as your way of saying you love me! I love you too Lukykins" Did this thing not have a off button? With a groan he stepped out of the restroom and began to make his way back to the cafeteria when he passed by the gymnasium. He wasn't sure what made him turn and look inside, and he wasn't sure what made him want to step into the empty gym and pick up a basketball just sitting on the bleachers. But, hell, Luke did like shooting some hoops back when he was younger. He wondered if he still had it in him.

Wasn't a bad way to pass the time, and if anyone questioned him he needed only explain that he was actually with the grocery delivery and just saw the gym empty and saw a ball lying around. Shouldn't be a big deal right? Though being distracted with shooting some hoops had caused him to ignore his sixth sense from picking up on something.

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

"Aura Aura, are you going to come with us tonight?" Down the opened hall, the small group of humans marched down. Arms full of empty boxes that are ready to be filled. "U-umm, I don't think so. I have.. a lot of homework to finish tonight. And after that I have to study. I don't want to fall behind on my studies you know." Aura laughed. She rejected their kind offer to join them for a nightly gathering. "Oh come on Aura. You are always studying. You gotta learn to let loose very once a while." said the other teenage girl. The girls giggled amongst themselves as any other human girls would have done. "W-well, you know.. being new here and all.. I just want to be sure that I understand the content. I'm still rusty on some of these things." From afar, there was nothing out of place on a physical plane. But that was all.

On the surface, Aura was playing her part. The reason why she was created. Her hip long brown hair, the dark shade of her irises wandering about through the openings in the hall. Beneath it all, under the cover of her "humanity" was her true nature. A Bount. A subhuman whose purpose was to fight and maim those that the Shinigami directed her towards. A weapon to be used and disposed of when it was most convenient for them. That was Aura. That was her purpose. But, there were those that saw a differently. Doctor Erika saw that. And for that very reason Aura managed to escape and live freely. That was Erika's wish. And freedom was Aura's wish.

That was the truth, and there was nothing else to it. "Aura? Home to Aura. Come on, your zoning out." The Bount girl woke from her thought realm. Thinking on the present rather than the past. She was free now. No entities of a spiritual nature close by. No attacks or drills to follow. No more having to be locked away in a room alone with her hunger day after day. "S-sorry, I was thinking about some things." she hesitated in saying. Obviously the other girls laughed. They didn't know what was walking with them. They didn't know what Aura was, and she wanted to keep it that way. All the girl wanted was to live an ordinary life away from the Shinigami, and the other spiritual entities like her. She was alive and free. At least to some extent.

The girls were on their way to the pickup point for a delivery. They were on kitchen duty today, which explained the empty boxes that they were carrying. They laughed about it all. Their Instructors wanted to have a little feminine touch with all the boys working to carrying the materials to the cafeteria. A small trade off when the guys are doing all of the heavy lifting. So she couldn't complain about it, at least for the time being. When nearing the cafeteria, her senses peaked.

An oddly yet familiar aura was.. ghastly. It was a glimmer of aura, but she knew it. Faint as it was she knew it all too well. The box dropped. Her eyes widened. "It-it can't be. Here? WHY?" She looked around her immediate area. The possibility of meeting another one like her was.... a million to one. Literally. She couldn't believe it, at least not without some form of unusual activity going on. She felt her ass being groped, "Hey hun, you feeling alright? You look pale as a ghost." Aura shook her head in agreement, offering the box to her companions before dismissing herself. Then, Aura took to a sprint.

If anything Aura could make up an excuse as saying that nature called. She had to find it. She had to find the source as soon as possible. For the first time in a while, the Bount was frantic. Thoughts of horror filled every space in her cranium. Like really, how was another one like her around? Did they escape from Soul Society? Were they sent to come looking for her? Who knows? That was the reason why she was so damn nervous about the whole scenario. If any those were the case, what would she do? Did she have to leave this school, or the city itself? Was there even a place for her to be at peace? She didn't know. Aura was on the verge of choking on the air that she was breathing in.

Not in the halls or in the classrooms. Aura brushed through several students who were probably wondering what the hell she was doing. But she had to. At least she was able to limit the places that she needed to look, because each time she was getting farther away from her destination, her little blip on her Energy Sensory faded or grew stronger. A good 30 minutes passed before she could locate the target. When nearing the gym her heart almost leaped just by hearing noise inside. The sound of a ball being dribbled on the polished floor. Panting with both fear and joy, she stood at the side entrance to the gym and saw but a single man there, playing.

"W-who are you?" she said into the gym. A girl panting and wearing a different uniform from the rest of the student body, something of a foreigner to the school herself. "Where did you come from? And why.. why does your aura resemble mine?" she said closing the door behind her. Her eyes frantic, yet cautious. She watched the individual closely, and waited to see what his response was.

[Deleted]

"Oh my god you suck at this." The constant laughter and stupid comments that were filling Lukes head certainly did not help with him getting a ball in the hoop. I said I haven't touched a basketball in awhile! Luke snapped back as he dribbled the ball around the court. Even a toddler could play better than you! Ahaha!" The ball bouncing stopped when Luke found himself grumbling, a growing spark of irritation forming as the entity inside him decided to entertain itself my mocking him. But, honestly, it wasn't really worth yelling at Jäger. He never listened, he never learned, he never seemed to care about how much he annoyed Luke. It was why Luke walled himself off from Jäger most of the time, and wanted little to nothing to do with him. There were other reasons of course, but maybe Luke would care to talk to Jäger if he wasn't such an asshole.

He decided it was about time he headed back. Lunch was most likely just about done for him and his fellow store employees. But as he was about to toss the ball away, he suddenly heard "W-who are you?" coming from the entrance to the gym. He turned to see a young woman who was outfitted with...was that the same school uniform as the others? Something about it seemed...different...but he really wasn't sure in all honesty. He wasn't focusing on what the other students were wearing. Luke gave a surprised face to her, clicking his tongue once before holding the ball with both hands. "Uh...sorry. I saw the ball here and was just wanting to shoot some hoops. I'm with the delivery crew. Just...uh...needed to use the bathroom and saw the gym was empty." Luke chuckled with a shrug.

"She's cute. I recommend asking her out. Girls like Godzilla marathons right?" Jäger was ignored. But as Luke was about to open his mouth again when more words flew at him from the girl it caused him pause. What did she just ask him? Why was his...aura the same as hers? Luke raised an eyebrow at her before deciding it might be a good idea to extend that Energy Sensory awareness he had towards her. Oh...and surprise surprise...she was that fucking thing he was feeling throughout the school a few times. Fun. Luke simply looked at the girl for a few more moments, before he let out a sigh. "Hate to break it to you, but that's probably because you're already or becoming some weird ghost powered weirdo. And, honestly, I'm not digging the idea of explaining the birds and bees of stupid ghost bullshit." Luke explained, missing the entire point of Auras question.

She looked frantic. She was breathing heavily, as if she had just gotten done running a few laps around the tract field. Luke let out a groan as he suddenly had a ping of guilt. Yeah, he didn't want to actually sit around and talk about going through soul maturity with a highschool student, but he felt that if he simply ignored her during her time of need he'd have felt like shit later. It was like saying "haha nope" to a girl first getting her period...or getting horny for the first time. Okay that went to a weird place. "Alright listen...you're probably gonna start getting hotflashes throughout your entire body...or maybe you've already gotten that. I don't know...maybe it's different for each person." Oh god was he doing this. "I don't even know where to begin with this or how to condense it down into a thirty second conversation...shit, uhm. Alright, your souls becoming a grown woman and is going to start causing weird shit to happen around you. You'll start seeing ghosts and big monsters. Avoid the monsters. Also you might start getting powers...Fullbring I think they're called. And if you start hearing voices just ignore them." Luke explained, feeling like a complete idiot as he did so.

"Oh gee thanks. Just ignore the voices...HEY STOP IGNORING ME!" Still on mute. "So listen...I need to get back to work. I'm sure there's a support group somewhere in this city for...weirdoes...but I'm not really the person you want to talk to about this." Luke must have looked like a complete idiot. "So...I'm gonna get back to work."

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

Was he.. serious? Ghosts, spirits, and changes? Does he not really know? Or was it that... he didn't understand what he was. Or could it be that he was making a fool of her? She didn't know, nor couldn't take the risk of the idiot running around in ignorance. Beyond that, he was a perv. A complete perv. Pervy and stupid at the same time, a bad combination. The woman sighed and blushed rather bluntly. Keeping herself between the door and the man she didn't budge. She only kept brown eyes fixated on the man, and his stupid demeanor. Like honestly, how can anyone be this ignorant?

"Y-you, don't really know? I-I mean you don't.... HEY, what do you mean hotflashs and changes?" Aura was quite knowledgeable with a lot to different things, but not really too much of herself as a person. She had her thoughts occupied by other concerns than the typical girl. Despite being well over a thousand years old, she was merely meant to be used as a weapon. A weapon didn't really have much use for information of human biology concerning herself, but probably more on other beings like Hollows and stuff. Beyond that, nothing too keen on humans. So for that reason, Aura couldn't hold back her brash outburst, and twirling the end tips of her hair. "A-Are you stupid or something?! That has nothing to do with what we share in common. Uh.. I mean... Err... SHUT UP! Can't you see that we are both Bounts?!"

This man.. was making her fluster. She was embarrassed. Talking about... pervy subjects such as human anatomy to her when it has nothing to do with it at all. Something about Fullbring and a group to help with such things. Just one meaningless subject over another which sounded more like a rant than an explanation. None of the words that the man spoke of made any sense to her. "Listen, I don't know what you are talking about, but I am sure of this that you are not leaving here until we figure this out. Because if anything, I think you may be confused on some matters concerning about what we are." She made sure that she positioned herself in front of the exit. They definitely had to talk about some things before anything else.

Honestly, she didn't know much of the human world beyond what she was told about it. So, there could be things like Fullbring, but as of now, it meant little next to nothing with her. But she had to correct him, "Do you even know what a Bount is?" she asked.

[Deleted]

Sorry about the wait Rucha

Was this girl stupid? What kind of highschool girl didn't know what a hotflash and "changes" were? Did this school not have any sort of health classes or sex education courses? And here Luke thought the schools back in the States were raising stupid kids, while the Japs were producing the brightest and the best. Crossing his arms across his chest and tilting his head a little, Luke gave Aura a confused look sporting its own raised eyebrow as she became flustered. Blushing and playing with her hair, Luke couldn't really keep himself from thinking that this girl was pretty cute, causing Jäger to let out a creepy laugh in the back of Luke's head. Regardless, what she said gave Luke some food for thought. Where the changes people went through when their spiritual energies began to develop different?

When Lukes were coming about he had hotflashes, an increase in hunger and metabolism, and finally the dreaded phantom poops. That was the worst part. Luke would often suddenly feel the need to take a massive dump but when he got to the bathroom nothing would come out. It wasn't constipation as he had himself checked for that when it started. This is getting off topic though. Even though she was cute, Luke was starting to think this girl was actually just stupid. Cute and stupid were two things that didn't mix well together, and it could certainly lead to her getting into some kinda trouble later in the future. But then she accused him of being stupid. "Who're you calling stupid, stupid?" Luke grumbled under his breath as Aura kept rattling on, until that last sentence.

Luke became very quiet and very still, staring at Aura with widened eyes as she kept talking. Did she just say Bount? "I think she did." But that impossible, right? There was no way Luke was running into another one of them here...at a school....at a high school. "Looks like you are, buddy." Aura made the bold statement that Luke was not leaving until things were figured out between them. Kind of a dumb declaration honestly. If Luke wanted to get past her he more than certainly could. A quick flick with his Energy Sensory was enough to let him know there was a good difference in their strengths between them.

Let's take a step back though. Luke still wasn't done going through the motions of accepting what he had found out he was. Meeting the Mod Soul Taka those nights ago had given Luke the opportunity to uncover a secret about himself, that secret being what he really was. Granted, he was very different than the Bount that Taka had locked up beneath her club. He wasn't a killer or a cannibal, something that he both took pride in and was also afraid was something he would lose. He had no idea if the desire, the need, to feed on other people would suddenly come to him or not and it was what was giving him anxiety and stress. Luke wasn't sure just what he was, and he was afraid to really find out. So now, standing here face to face with another one of these "Bounts" was something he wasn't sure how to manage.

He remembered how terrified he was seeing that man in the cell, that thing that was in there with him, and hearing from Taka just what sort of heinous acts he committed just to remain alive. Luke was quiet as Aura talked, before she directed a question towards him. Jäger was quiet as well, his curiosity about the current situation piqued his interest more than trolling with Luke. Luke was hesitant to answer her. He was hesitant to say anything. Zan, the Bount Taka had locked up, had begun his descent into madness after meeting with another of their kind. Was that going to happen to Luke as well? "Yeah...I know what a Bount is.." Luke suddenly answered, a lump formed in his throat as the words came out.

He tossed the ball off to his side, approaching Aura with hands in his pants pockets and gaze downcast. "I need to get back to work or they'll start looking for me. I'm not going to talk about this here. If you want to talk then meet me at the Burger Queen off Shipyard when your classes are done.." Luke explained, before brushing past Aura with little effort on his part. He wasn't going to do this here. He needed time to think about what he was going to do. It wasn't safe to talk to her in a school gymnasium anyways, too many people could walk in on them and have the wrong idea about what was going on. Even if Aura protested, Luke would ignore her and return to the cafeteria with the rest of his coworkers.

The rest of Luke's day was spent trying to distract himself with work. But even so he couldn't get the anxiety, and odd excitement, out of his system. What was he going to do? He could ditch her. Not show up. Not even bother. But that solution wouldn't get him anywhere. Luke needed to get these questions answered. He didn't know what the hell it meant to BE a Bount aside from the few things Taka had told him. She wanted him to stay on the path he was on, not even begin to slip off of it and become anything like the Bount she had locked up. But Luke had no clue if he was about to become a blood sucking cannibal or not. The idea of becoming the thing that Zan was, no better than a Hollow, made Luke sick and pissed. He wanted questions answered. And if going to meet this chick would give him clues on how to avoid ending up like Zan, then he needed to take the risk.

Luke needed to keep himself busy though and keep the anxiety down, so to do he focused not just on his work but even imaging the last body Taka had been in, and Yetsuna, in swimsuits. And maybe a little of Aura, much to the Jägers mocking laughter.

He let out a sigh as he sat on the bench outside the fast food restaurant, chewing on a sandwich he had ordered to pass the time. He'd arrived early, figuring the time it took between the chick actually getting out of her classes, if she attended them, and then to actually get to the Burger Queen. What a dumb name. Even the taste of spicy chicken in his mouth couldn't keep Lukes anxiety from growing and producing butterflies in his stomach. You think Taka will be mad if she finds out about this? Luke asked Jäger of all people. "Considering that Zan meeting with another Bount was what started his serial cannibal act...yeah probably. Though in your case you're not dying, you just want to make sure you don't start craving human neck like you do imitation chicken, so she might let you off easy." Jäger responded, prompting a mental groan from Luke. It's not imitation...it's real chicken. "Pft ahaha. You tell yourself that buddy. When your shit looks like shredded barbeque and your complaining about a sore asshole I'm just gonna laugh." Dude don't talk about my ass or shit like that. That's digusting. "But true. So you think she's coming?"

Part of me hopes she doesn't. She seemed...weird. Maybe she got spooked and decided to ditch town. Luke suggested, sitting back on the bench and looking up at the orange, evening, sky. Winter season always made the days shorter than they should be...and made things too cold. Luke hated winter. "You think so, eh? She seemed pretty determined to talk to you...or really wanted you inside h--" "AHAHA THAT'S ENOUGH!" Luke shouted, sitting upright with a goofy expression on his face as he cut his Dolls conversation short and severed their communication line. God that Doll could give him a headache. He let out a humph as he sat back again, tossing his head back and looking up at the sky as he waited...thinking about if this was the right thing to be doing.

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

Did she really have a choice in the matter? In all honesty the girl felt terrified in all manner of sorts. First finding another one of her kind working at her school, at least working with the school. This wasn't something that she been expecting, to say the least. She had soo many questions. Like, how many other Bounts escaped? Was Doctor Erika okay? What happened after the chaos? There was a lot of answers that she needed, probably for closure. Beyond that, the anxiety that she felt dropped down on her like a ton of bricks.

Her hairs stood on ends, still undergoing the winds of shock that was kicking her innards like never before. Almost as if she was stuck back in that white room again. Walls closing in. She needed answers, and so far this guy was the closest she was ever going to get to them. Hell, this was pretty much the only chance she was going to get. That was all she thought about during the course of the day. "Aura, are you feeling alright? You look pale." Several of classmates came to her to check up on her after she returned to class. The girl had been looking pale for most of the remaining sessions. At least she didn't have to fake it in order to be sent home early.

Over and over Aura went over the man's words. Short but sweet and straight to the point. Despite her own resolve in forgetting the past she knew that she couldn't. Like really, who could? Like, yeah she felt her anxiety getting the better of her. But at the same time she couldn't ignore the lump of excitement she felt building inside her gut. For her to run into another Bount like herself was quite rare. Honestly, she could have run into individuals that could be less favorable. She could have run into a Shinigami of all people. Now that would have sucked big time for her.

Even now Aura wrestled with her hair on the bus to the meeting place. Butterflies and the sorts swelling up inside. The shipyards, by the Burger Que- What the hell was a Burger Queen?! Now she has seen a Wacdonalds and Leeway, but a Burger Queen? Good grief. What's next, General's Fried Chicken? Oh brother. Nonetheless, she was ready to talk to the pervert who had an interest in a woman's development. Geez, gave her the creeps just thinking about it. But well, appearances can be deceiving. Honestly, look at her appearance. Fooled the whole lot of people. None for ill intentions obviously.

The bus went on its merry way after the initial stop. Aura coughed, clearing her lungs of the dust and smog that were left behind as the vehicle parted ways from the girl. The girl was a tad lost, being new to the area and all. Aside from that, and the few awkward stares, she managed to find her way after being given some directions. With all of her excitement and twirling fears going on about she didn't realize what was the time of the day. She completely skipped going home to pick a few supplies, just in case she had an accident. But, eerrr, what to do? "What do I do now? I'm screwed." She had to hurry and find he idiot quickly.

Not too long after did she find him on the bench an- "AHAHA THAT'S ENOUGH!" Well, that was.. something. Uuuuhhhh. Exactly as shown, Aura was just as surprised as he was. It was like looking into a mirror, except she is a girl and he is a guy. She didn't even feel her mouth drop and her backpack slip off her shoulder. Maybe she came a little to early as he was working on some lines or something or a play? Or something? "Umm, well, I'm h-here now if you want to get started?" The heat of the sun began to dwindle, and the chill was beginning to settle in. A chill she was familiar with.

Away from prying eyes and curious ears, the two set course further into the shipping yard. This proved to be more beneficial to the both of them. Keeping themselves in a place that is easily able to hide them, and hopefully isolated from other people or entities. As they walked she asked, "How is it that you are able to be here without the Shinigami knowing? I find it a bit.. curious." she mustered the words as they entered the small maze of shipping containers. Much taller than her, their size kept them away from those who would try and follow. And no, this was nothing close to a romantic rendezvous. So hopefully the guy could get his head out of the gutter. "I mean, after the rioting back in the Seireitei, I thought that the Shinigami would have eradicated the rest of the Bounts. But to see you here, it makes me wonder." she continued on, eyes more keen on the sky than the man.

The purpose of being within the maze was meant more for her, and the man's protection. And honestly, the girl was holding back. Her nerves were wreckig havoc inside, causing her body to tremble. She was frantic. As though trying to keep warm Aura did what she could to keep her temperature in the norm. Her slender fingers curled down the length of her brown hair, down to the tips. She knew what the nights brought, which was her reasoning for tapping her small knuckle against the containers. In hopes to find one that was empty, she continued to tap repeatedly against each one they came across. She was nervous.. as the sun's light began to fade.

[Deleted]

One a scale of one to ten on the awkward scale Aura walking in on Luke having a vocal reaction to Jägers nonsense was about an eleven. Her visual reaction to it was just about the same as his, though his own face was more of one of embarrassment and shock rather than confusion and dumbfoundment like Auras was. "Y-yeah...alright." Luke commented softly, scratching his cheek a little, in response to Aura asking if they wanted to get started. With that little embarrassing moment over and done with, Luke followed behind Aura as she lead him to where she had planned to start their little talk. Luke wasn't following blindly; he was keeping a good few yards back and with his Energy Sensory on at full blast.

Luke may have been an idiot, but he wasn't stupid. He wasn't just going to follow another Bount, a race of human like individuals who may or may not have been responsible for the entire vampire legend, to some unknown place without having his guard up. Who knows what she was planning for him. He had only planned on talking at the resturaunt, but that wasn't apparently private enough for her. Like anybody actually ate at Burger Queen. The food was shit. "Somewhere more private huh? Hehe.." Oh no. He was starting to get ideas. Stop. I don't like the thought of you thinking those things in my head. Luke mentally grumbled at his Doll.

The smell of salt wafted into his nose as the two arrived at the shipyard docks of Karakura. Shipping containers, cranes, waves, warehouses, and a ship or two was what greeted them when they arrived. "All these crates. No doubt some of them are empty." Please stop. Looking up at the sky for a moment Luke noted the color of the sky, how it was getting close to night. "How is it that you are able to be here without the Shinigami knowing? I find it a bit.. curious." Huh? Luke snapped his head back down when he heard Auras voice all of a sudden. What did she mean by that? There were Shinigami that knew about Luke.

Two Shinigami by the names of Aevus and Yetsuna, both of whom were individuals Luke would consider his friends. Waking between the crates, Luke thought about how to answer that question when he suddenly heard his dear sweet friends voice again. "Leading you into a dark and private crate just so she can have you all ❤ to ❤ her ❤ self." And that was it. "I told you to stop, jackass! I've got enough going on in my head about this entire situation without you adding your smut to my thoughts! Knock it off or I'll shut you out." Well, that certainly seemed to shut him up. But Luke knew better than that. He'd start talking again sooner or later.

It seems they reached a good stopping point, which Luke responded to by leaning up against one of the crates. What Aura said to him just now, about how the Bount had apparently been eradicated by the Shinigami had...well it caught him off guard. The young Bount stared down at the cracked pavement beneath him, lips parted slightly as he took in what he had just heard. He shook his head a little in disbelief, but the more he thought about the more it just seemed to make...sense. When Taka, the Mod Soul whose club that Luke was moving into, showed him the single individual kept in her dungeons it had shown Luke just how inhuman Bount could become.

If...most of the Bount had been like him, sick and twisted killers who fed on humans, then it made sense to him why they had been eradicated. Luke was not as old as Aura. He had not grown up knowing what he was. Until literally a few nights ago he didn't even know what a Bount was, he had been raised as a and to believe he was a human. To him...his race was something alien and strange. Luke had only seen the very worst of what Bount were. Not just from the prisoner, but from the ones that had attacked him in the grocery store as well. "I...don't really know what you're talking about." Luke finally said as Aura walked around banging on the storage crates.

"I've met Shinigami. I'm even close to two of them. Granted...two people don't define an entire ghost samurai military does it?" Luke asked jokingly, bouncing his heel against the crate. He sighed, scratching the back of his head as he got the feeling that this little meeting was only going to give him more questions than provide answers. "I don't know what riots you're talking about. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly hundreds of years old or anything. I only found out a few nights ago what I am....and still not exactly happy that the big family secret was that I come from fuckin' blood suckers." Luke explained, lifting his head and letting it rest against the container as he stared at the sky.

Lowering his gaze again, though, he had happened to notice what it was Aura was doing. He had good vision for someone who spent his time watching tv and looking at charts. "Are you okay? You're trembling." Luke asked before that lightbulb went off in his head, and he quickly got to work peeling off that blue sweatshirt he always wore and approaching her. "Here. If you're cold put this on. I shouldn't have asked for us to meet in the evening, midday would have been warmer." Despite the fact he was an idiot and had a bad mouth and temper, down at his core Luke was actually a good guy. But he made sure to keep that mental wall up. He could feel Jäger clawing at it to try and get some stupid sentence through and into Luke's head.

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

Should have been obvious that the guy was a moron to such things, but really, what could she have expected. Some guy who has been bred in the world of the living for his entire life would have no clue as to what was really going on in the background. Only until recently did he realize that the world he resided in was completely false. A fake. And the only reality there was.... was a world of the weird. And like really really weird kinda weird. The oblivious idiot couldn't really be held accountable considering the circumstances while Aura had been placed at the near center of the Bounts, among with the others.

Ignorance is bliss after all, and for the man to lack such details about himself or his people was something that he'd been gifted with. Or at least the lack of experience that they all had undergone was bliss. The Bounts who have undergone experimentation, solely to be used to further the other Bounts that were to come. Prickling of the needles into her skin, scalpels carving layer after layer of skin, and nerves shocked over and over again. She could recall it all. The very thought made her body tremble and her skin crawl. "Well excuse me, I do not like being called a 'bloodsucker' either." the girl pouted. And even she wanted to strangle the pervert to an extent she couldn't help to see that he had a glimmer of sweetness to him when he offered his sweatshirt. Sweet, but ignorant.

Sadly it wasn't the chilling air that was getting to her. That wasn't the issue at all. What was to come made the girl tremble as she did. As the light began to be cloaked by the night sky so did the innocence that was Aura. She could feel it all. The air didn't to be as chilly as she thought it would have been. Honestly, it wasn't the air that changed. Instead, the source of unrelenting heat came from within, bringing the pain and hunger to her blood. The rush of blood bleeding her natural brown eyes red. Extending beyond their average means the Bount's hair grew past her hips. "T-thank you for the offer, but I won't be needing it." Aura responded after a few moments. More keen on keeping her consciousness from fading, the Bount sought the closest crate and pried it open. "Sorry, but stay outside, and could you keep it locked until morning?"

Awkward definitely, and not a request that is often heard of. But she did this in order to keep the man safe. She didn't know about what his capabilities were at the time, but she couldn't leave anything to chance. She couldn't allow any chance to be taken since she was away from her Condo. Even if the man refused, Aura was very assertive, especially during a time like this. For the slightest moment her crimson eyes could almost be seen emitting their glow in the dark container before being shut in. "Sorry, but we'll continue on like this for the time being. So regardless of what you hear in here, do not open the door. Understood?" she demanded. Then shortly after, "So, what is it that you would like to know about the Bounts?" she panted heavily.

[Deleted]

Luke had a remark planned for Auras reply to him refering to her as a blood sucker, but he decided to hold his tongue this time. While he himself may have hated his self discovery, that didn't mean he should give Aura shit for being who she was. She rejecting his offer of his sweatshirt, but even when saying she didn't need it her response did little to actually satisfy his corner. In fact it only made it worse. Something was definitely wrong with her, and Luke was beginning to suspect it had little to do with the chill of the coming nights air. "Nhgekekekek." Just what the fuck was that laugh? "She wants her new senpais di-" Oh jesus christ nope locked out.

Her request was certainly odd and was one that set off a number of red flags for the young man. "Wait...hey hold on what're you.." But his plan to intercept her, stop her, and question her was halted when she turned to him he could see, for just a moment, the glow of crimson in the darkness before the container door shut and was locked from the inside. Luke stood there, hand held out towards the door, with eyes widened and mouth slightly agape. The eyes that he saw and the chill he had gotten when he saw them were all too familiar to him. Something he'd experienced only a few nights prior.

The man he found locked up deep beneath Taka's club. The one that revealed to him the secrets of his origins. He and Aura had the same eyes. Here may not have contained the same level of malice that that man's possessed, but the red glow and what he felt when he saw those eyes confirmed it for him. But it was different. It just felt...Different. A frown painted itself across his features as Aura locked herself inside the crate, a look of what seemed to be confusion, concern, anxiousness and pity all mixed into the frown. He found himself leaning against the door, sliding downwards until his butt reached the ground, letting him sit against the door.

”So, what is it that you would like to know about the Bounts?”

He heard her voice break the silence, and even though it had been diluted from having to push its way through the metal crate, Luke could hear that her voice sounded...Strained. ”Luke, don't freak out. There's an explanation.” Why was he still here? Perhaps if Luke kept her talking then things would be alright. ”There’s a lot I want to know.. Where do we come from? You said there was riots and Shinigami eradicating the Bount. Exactly...What happened?” Luke questioned. It was something that could let her focus on her answer instead of what was happening to her in the crate.

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

"Gotta keep calm. Need to stay focus. Just need... to keep my mind off of it." Yeah yeah easier said than done. The task proved to be more difficult than intended to be. The Bount panted heavily, holding onto her side tightly as her means for securing herself in the empty space of the cargo tank. The air felt hot. Burning hot. Aura knew that it wasn't due to the air. The air wasn't the issue at all. The night settled upon them like it always did, bringing with it the cool vastness of its chilling air. But she couldn't feel it, not while inside the container. For good reason. It was dark, she couldn't see, and more importantly it kept her from going anywhere. For the time being it was a safe place for her and everyone else. But still, she was thirsty.

The Bount had been left parched due to her curse. Her blood being stricken with the lack of moisture as her veins were being singed with a heated body. Thankfully, it was Luke's curiosity that enabled the girl to maintain some form of focus. His own voice appeared to be as stricken as her own. Like monkey see monkey do, but in this case it would be monkey say monkey.. say? Great, brain cells were already going out the window as time went on. "We originated from at place called Soul Society. The homeland of the Shinigami. Or rather to be precise, within their labs." Aura replied to the first question that the man pondered about. Easy to understand, direct, and nonchalant. Well, depending on the person anyhow.

Obviously, there was more to the story. A bit of details were necessary to fill in the plot holes to the story. "We were made to fight as soldiers for the Shinigami. At least until they realized that we were too dangerous to keep around." At least from what she knew of during her time kept inside her room. The only time that she was allowed to leave it was when they required more testing or some extractions. Beyond that Aura managed to leave the room due to Doctor Erika, for her escape anyways. Her last words managed to lead into the rest of her explanation, and the answer to the man's next question concerning the massacre, "For what happened to the other Bounts, I am not sure."

True and not true. There were some details that Aura knew of when she was being dragged by the Doctor to some extent. "I was being dragged. I only managed to see what was going on around me, and from what I've been told.... The Bounts that were in the laboratories revolted against the Shinigami, fighting to for their own sake of living. The Shinigami were going to dispose of us, those who were thought to be too dangerous. From what I've heard, they fought back." The pitches of ringing alarms can still be heard to this day. The flaring red color filling her field of vision and searing itself into her brain. She could still smell the raging fires burning through the corridors.

Her nails dragged along the cold steel etches of the cargo door. Seeing that blaze of red in her mind brought her back to the red that blanketed her view. "No no no no, go back. Have to go back." Her knees buckled, trembling before dropping the girl down to her knees. The Bount's breaths grew heavy with each expelled. "The Shinigami saw us as a threat, and s-so, they wanted to destroy us. As for those who were deemed to valuable... w-we were kept in rooms, for experimentation.. We were u-used to make future Bounts." She bit her lip. She drew blood. "Blood. I want... blood. S-so.. hungryNO! Must stay in.. control."[/i][/color]

"For those of us that didn't want to fight, or rather didn't have the potential to fight, we were altered, so that we could fight. Forcing us to f-." The cold surface of the crate's flooring met with Aura's forehead quicker than she could even think it. Every vein in her body felt as though it was going to explode. The sweet taste of her own blood didn't satisfy the craving. She had to keeping talking, or else she'd lose her mind at this rate. Talk ab-about something. Anything. Holding herself tightly, the Bount kept herself in a corner of the doors, sheltering herself. The girl cradled herself in what little comfort she could wrestle together. "They made us fight. It's all we know. Itisourpurpose. Fighting,killingisallthattheywantustodo."

[Deleted]

"Damn it. Here I was hoping you were actually an alien." Jäger groaned, but Luke didn't hear him. What he was being told was like having a big back of bricks, anvils, and rhinos being dropped on him. He was learning the origins of the Bount, the species that Luke was connected to by blood. They had come from the Soul Society, the same place that the Shinigami had come from. But what Luke imagined, that within the spirit world there was peaceful villages of his kind, he instead learned that the Bount had been created within the labs of the Shinigami. "We were...created in labs?" Luke asked, a feeling of nausea hitting him for a moment. The idea of being a test tube baby did not sit well with him.

She kept feeding him information, explaining to him how the Bount were made to be soldiers for the Shinigami, but then it was decided that they were too dangerous to be left alive. He...couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Shinigami...murdered the Bount? They killed their own creations? But that didn't make any sense. Yetsuna and Aevus both had shown such fine attitudes towards Luke, even going so far as being their friend. But...did they know? Did they know that Luke was a Bount? She kept going, telling him more of the story about the Bounts being purged. The Bount fought back. Hearing that...alleviated some of Lukes problems with being told this. But...why did the Shinigami decide to kill the Bount in the first place?

His thoughts drifted to that man held beneath Takas club. Did what happen to him have something to do with it? Were the Bount flawed? Did they have some kind of issue that led to them being vampiric monsters? The girl kept going though, explaining how those that were valuable and kept for further experimentation, and altered so that they were forced to fight. Luke found his hand against the door, leaning against it, and placing his head against the cold steel. The hell was he supposed to do with the information he had learned? "Sheesh..." Luke whispered, staring down at the ground as he processed everything he'd been told. Even Jäger was being quiet about all of this.

"So...those who didn't fight...they got tampered with to make them fight, huh? And...I think I can guess what the side effect is.." Luke said in a hushed tone, but loud enough so that the struggling Bount could hear him. Was what was happening to her...was that what happened to the other man? Luke found his jaws pushing against one another, as frustration and anger began building up inside of him. Was finding out that what was he was, a Bount, had been nothing more than a tool made and then destroyed by the Shinigami so frustrating? Was that was angering him. "Sheesh." Even Jäger felt a little stunned at the revelation. "But...I wasn't made in some lab. I was born. I have a mother and a father. I've seen pictures of when I was a baby." Where was Luke going with this?

"That tampering they did to you...does it affect me too? Does it affect every Bount out there?" Luke asked. He was thinking of both himself and his mother. Was this tampering, this drawback, the reason she had abandoned him? "It's only been a few weeks since my powers have appeared...including this jackass of a Doll. But I've never felt any sort of...trigger or kick against my will." Luke confessed, his fingers on the hand that rested against the container curling themselves tightly into a fist. He was finally being given the answers he wanted, but even more questions had sprung up from them.

Aura would hear something bang against the door of the crate. Luke, in his growing anger, had slammed his fist into the container. He could feel the thumps of pain from the impact, the stings of torn skin accompanying it. A slight trickle of blood dragged down from where his fist met steel. "It's bullshit. You're telling me...Shinigami made the Bount, and then just...just...threw us out like the trash? Like we didn't have some kind of right to live? And the ones they didn't kill they just...cut open and tampered around with?" Luke questioned. He was well aware that what Aura went through was not something he, himself, had gone through. But there was someone very close to him that it COULD have gone through. Someone that this tampering could have affected so negatively. Two people, actually. His mother and Taka.

His mother might have been his Bount parent, or maybe his father was one as well. Did she leave because she had been tampered with? Did she leave because she started to come under the vampiric side effects? Taka had already been negatively affected by this in her own way. Two people close to him had been hurt by this, and this fed Lukes anger. "Is there any way to fix it? Is there...any sort of surgery, vaccine or...hell with it...some magic ritual shit that can fix it?" Luke questioned, wanting nothing more than to pry that fucking door open and yell these questions into Auras face.

"Maybe my words don't mean shit...but we're not just fucking weapons! We live and breath just like any other person...and what they did to...I can't just...GAAAGH!" Luke shouted, pulling away from the door and grabbing at his hair in frustration. "Questions questions and more questions!" Luke exclaimed before pushing his back against the crate door and sliding down onto his rump. Resting the back of his head against the door, he tried to clear his head so he could think more clearly. "You know, call it a womans intuition but I don't think you have to worry about this vampire thing affecting you." Jäger chimed in.

Luke opened his eyes. You're not a woman. But what do you mean? He questioned. "What she said got me thinking. Our highschool vampire here is a lot older than she looks. If she was around to be able to have experienced this stuff, then we're not talking to a Bount like you who was born that way...she was a test tube baby. Obviously she's not having her period in there, but unless you were directly implanted with this vampire conditioning then I think you're safe." While Luke didn't want to admit Jäger could have been right, his words did hold some sense to them. But there was a glaring problem.

And what about Takas prisoner? Luke asked. Jäger...began thinking of a response. Taka said that he had grown up relatively normal didn't she? Until suddenly he got ill, and then after she found another Bount to help the problem...that was when he started feeding. And it started going down hill from there. Luke explained. The issue was almost like a puzzle, and Luke felt like the pieces were starting to come together a little. "You're thinking that...the vampiric quality is always there but it doesn't become a problem unless acted on first? Like losing your virginity sort of thing?" Jäger asked in his own special way. Yeah, maybe. And what if what the Shinigami did to her and the others like her was just...pop that cherry?

Luke and Jäger went quiet for a bit, before Luke gently knocked on the crates door. "Hey...what's your name?" Luke asked.

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

Everything was hot. So hot. She couldn't breath, as if the air inside her lungs were being forced out. She had to unbutton her over coat and leave it on the ground. Aura didn't even feel herself panting at all to this point. More and more words continued to be spouted between the steel cargo crate doors that separated them. She needed air, she needed... "NOO. Nonononononononoooooo." More talk. She need something to distract herself. She had to in order to keep herself sane. Hell, she was just losing her mind and the more time that went by the more lost she was getting. "I-I don't know." That was what she could at least tell him regarding his questions to being experimented with. She was no scientist or biologist, so she couldn't tell him the details.

Beyond that the words were blurring with the noise that she stirred up inside the crate. Too hungry. So much desire pent up that needed to be taken cared of. Her legs quivered and continued to grow ever more shaky by the second. The fire that burned inside her flowed through her veins like a raging flood. "Name? My name......" she pants desperately. Her nails screeching against the metal casing, climbing back up to her legs, her knees buckling. "Aura....... Aura Kyuketsuki..... Please...... I'll tell you.. what ever you want. Just please, let me out. I-It's too hot in here." Air, she needed air. Her white undershirt quickly soaked up the sweat that the girl was profusely letting out, turning its color to that of a eggshell white. "Please, I need air... I'll give you anything, j-just please....."

She was pleading with the man now. How the Hell could the crate be so damn hot? The top two buttons were undone, she was doing what she could to keep herself cool. It was too much for her to bare. Every breath taken in was unbearable. Each time made her hurt all the more inside. Aura's hand was firmly pressed against her chest, she felt her heart beating rapidly. It sounded as if it was going to explode right out of her chest. Right now, even the cold steel of the cargo crate didn't help to keep her chilled. If only, if only she had just a single drop of blood. Just a single drop would suffice for now. Just a little. NO! No, she couldn't. A single- no, she couldn't think about it. She couldn't. The crate, the darkness slowly turned white.

The blank solid white that surrounded her, kept her locked inside. NO! Not again. Please, not again. "PLEASE, GET ME OUT OF HERE! GET ME OUT OF THIS ROOM! DOCTOR ERIKA PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO STAY IN THIS ROOM!" Not again. Anywhere but the white room. She spent too long in that damn room to ever go back again. That wasn't life, that wasn't freedom. That room was a symbol of her imprisonment, bounded by the Shinigami. No more needles, no more experiments. She didn't want to go back to that place again. Nails clawing at the doors, legs beating against the cold steel. She wanted out, she needed to get out. "PLEASE, GET ME OUT. SOMEone...... I need to get out." She had to face it, she was burning herself out with every word that she cried out.

Someone. Please. Anyone. Help.

[Deleted]

"Sorry Aura...really I am, but I can't let you out. Not till morning." Luke said softly amidst Auras panicking. He may not have understood it completely, but he was aware that letting Aura out of the crate would not be good. Those eyes that she had earlier, the ones that reminded him of the Bount beneath the club, and the fact she had straight up told him not to open it no matter what he heard. He sighed, pulling out his phone and looking at the time. He still had quite awhile until morning. He sighed as Aura continued to scream and beg, the young Bount feeling a tinge of guilt by ignoring her. It wasn't easy for him to just ignore someone screaming and crying. But he knew he was doing it for his own and her safety, as well as anyone else around them. Luke had no idea what would happen if he let her out of that crate. He had no intention of finding out as well. This was going to be a long night. "Just think of it as a night shift." Jäger chimed in. One where I'm not being paid to keep watch over a potentially dangerous girl? Yeah okay.

[Aura Kyuketsuki]

Hours upon hours of pounding away at the door. How long had it been since she saw the outside world? Too long it would seem. She needed to feed. She had to feed. The endless searing pain all over her body wouldn't stop. Every moment that went on was Hell. She felt light headed and disoriented. She was so hungry. Her own blood wouldn't do anything. It wouldn't stop the nagging pulse. The wet moist iron that trinkled down her lips wasn't sufficient. Not only that but it tasted bad. She tore a piece of her undershirt to use as a makeshift bandage around her forearm. The bite was small and focused, so it wouldn't be a problem to wrap up.

But alass, she was tired. Too tired from the wailing, and wrestling. All of the pacing she did kept her from regaining her strength. Much of it was used up for screaming and trying to move the door. It wouldn't budge. The weasel on the other side wouldn't open it either, so she was out of luck on help. So all she could do was wait it out. But it was as quickly as she realized with her eyes shut the sun came out. It was hot as Hell inside the damn container. Almost sweltering in the Japanese heat. At this time much of her wound had been recovered, or at least stopped. She just had to compose herself once again before being seen. "Hey Luke, I'm fine now. Thanks." she said after knocking at bit. Hopefully he was still outside since she didn't want to wait for someone else to come around. And if he wasn't, then it was going to be a pain.

She'd be locked up, sweating, rotting in a shipping container until someone came for her. Not only that but she didn't know how long it would be until someone founder her. Perhaps it would be night when they found her. If that was the case, then it would another scarlet night. That was something Aura wasn't looking forward to again. "Hey, Luke. Thanks again, for last night. And I was wondering, would you like to live at my place?" It was pretty swag and pretty large for herself. Its size is more than enough room for two people, well, one and a half really. He could sleep on the couch or in her room since she needs the spare for her little... "condition." Besides, it'll be good for her to have someone in on her little secret rather than being alone. It was much simpler, especially if it was another Bount.

[Deleted]

When did he fall asleep? Lifting his head from his arms, Luke squinted one of his eyes at the dawn. Geez, did he actually fall asleep outside like a bum? His ass was sore like he'd been here all night that was for sure. Rubbing his hand down his face, Luke let out a yawn as he pushed himself to his feet. "Morning sleepyhead did you dream about me?" No because that would have been a nightmare. God I'm thirsty. Luke complained mentally, scratching the back of his now messy hair. "For blooooooooood?" Jäger joked, earning a mental grumble from Luke. Not funny. Luke thought, looking at the sun as he crossed his arms.

Speaking of blood drinking though, Luke turned to look at the shipping container. Looked like it was still closed. He blinked, readying himself to knock on it when he heard the movement inside. "Hey Luke, I'm fine now. Thanks." following the knocking he heard, Luke let out a sigh. Seems she was alright. Though as he reached towards that door, he kept his guard up. Eyes narrowing as he began unlocking the door, he felt his heart beat accelerated in anticipation. Peeling the door back to let Aura see the light of day, she would see the younger Bount standing in the entryway. He looked like crap. Sleeping outside for, what, two hours at most didn't exactly do wonders for ones complexion.

But in those eyes spilled a pity for Aura. He felt bad for her. If this was what she had to go through every night... "Hey, Luke. Thanks again, for last night. And I was wondering, would you like to live at my place?" Huh? Even though the young Bount looked tired, he gave her a rather shocked look. She was...asking him to live with her? He blinked in surprise. "You...want me to live with you? You don't even really know me. I could be a creep for all you know." Luke said with a laugh, trying to brush off the offer as little more than a joke. Jäger was snickering though. But looking at her...he had the feeling it wasn't a joke at all.

He let out a tired sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose and mumbling softly. "I do need a new place....but....nyagh, can we get some coffee and talk about it? I feel like my eyes are going to fall outta my head." Luke said with a tired yet demanding tone. He didn't mean to sound demanding, just what was happened when you only had two hours of sleep. Regardless if Aura followed after him or not, the young Bount would find his coffee. Small cafe, nothing fancy or expensive, but god did the bitter drink taste good. He downed his whole cup in a matter of minutes, despite the heat. If Aura did follow him then he would have bought her a cup of, well, anything she fuckin wanted.

He did look better after drinking, and he felt a little better to. "So...uh...me moving in. Why?" Luke asked, wanting to hear her reasons for it before he made a decision on the matter.